Three Kingdoms: I, Liu Feng, do not want to die

Cao Pi's response was ultimately too slow. Although he had seven provinces—You, Bing, Qing, Ji, Yan, Xu, and Yu—in his hands, the allocation of manpower and resources would take time.

Moreover, Liu Feng's advance was too fast, breaking through cities and killing generals, displaying unparalleled might, faintly reminiscent of the former Yan general Yue Yi's conquest of more than seventy cities of Qi.

From the moment Cao Pi ordered the Xianbei and Cao Zhang to attack Chang'an, Kebineng, Budugen, Guo Huai, Fei Yao, Zhang He, Cao Zhang, Zheng Hun, Xiahou Shang, and others either died in Liu Feng's schemes or were killed by Liu Feng.

They won battle after battle, and no one could stop them.

Cao Pi was filled with fear, as were the generals and officers at Hangu Pass, including Cao Zhen.

Liu Feng, standing before Hangu Pass, seemed to possess the imposing presence of the greatest general in the land.

"Bo Ren died because of me, and I am deeply saddened. Now, the morale at Hangu Pass is low. Although there are natural barriers, it is not a long-term solution. Zidan, I wish to return to Luoyang."

Cao Pi summoned Cao Zhen alone, his tone dejected and his expression listless. His bloodshot eyes and disheveled hair clearly showed that he had stayed up all night.

"Your Majesty, rest assured, I will defend Hangu Pass to the death." Cao Zhen originally intended to offer advice, but the words turned into a vow.

Cao Pi shook his head: "You must return to Luoyang with me. Xiahou Ru can be stationed at Hangu Pass."

Cao Zhen exclaimed in surprise, "Xiahou Ru's talent is insufficient to guard Hangu Pass. If I return, Hangu Pass may be lost."

Cao Pi's gaze was intense: "Zidan, you must trust Xiahou Ru. What you do when you return to Luoyang with me is the most important thing."

Once the seed of relocating the capital was planted in their hearts, it sprouted and grew rapidly like bamboo shoots after a spring rain.

Although the relocation of the capital had many negative consequences, the impact of voluntarily abandoning Luoyang was different from that of having Luoyang captured by the Han army.

Seeing Cao Pi's seemingly calm but actually fierce gaze, Cao Zhen hesitated before accepting the order: "Your Majesty, I will obey your command."

Cao Pi then summoned Xiahou Ru and carefully instructed him: "Bo Ren's death was my mistake. You are Bo Ren's cousin, and Bo Ren praised you highly when he was alive. I will entrust you with important responsibilities in the future."

I and Zidan are returning to Luoyang to handle important matters. I hereby appoint you as General Who Conquers the West to guard Hangu Pass. I expect you to remain humble and not act rashly. Under no circumstances shall you leave the pass without my military order.

Hangu Pass is the most dangerous pass in the world; even an army of 100,000 would be unable to breach it. I urge you to guard the pass carefully and not betray my trust.”

Xiahou Ru was thrilled: "Your Majesty, rest assured, I will defend Hangu Pass to the death and will never allow the Han dogs to cross Hangu Pass!"

As for the instructions given upon leaving the pass, Xiahou Ru kept them in mind as well.

Even without Cao Pi's instructions, Xiahou Ru would not have dared to leave the pass.

Facing Liu Feng's current unstoppable advance, going out of the pass would be suicide.

Xiahou Ru did not want to die.

While appeasing Xiahou Ru, Cao Pi also generously rewarded the generals and officers at Hangu Pass to reassure them.

Subsequently.

Cao Pi took Cao Zhen with him and returned directly to Luoyang.

The relocation of the capital was not a decision that Cao Pi could make alone; it required Cao Pi to coordinate the interests of all parties involved.

More importantly, Cao Pi did not want to leave a complete Luoyang to Liu Bei and his son!
Luoyang was burned down by Dong Zhuo long ago. The current Luoyang was rebuilt by Cao Cao and his son Cao Pi, which cost a lot of manpower, material resources and financial resources.

It was impossible for Cao Pi to leave Luoyang to Liu Bei.

Cao Pi had the same idea as Dong Zhuo: since they couldn't defend Luoyang, they would destroy it!
At the foot of Hangu Pass.

Liu Bei's imperial banner fluttered in the wind.

Upon learning that Liu Feng had successfully lured Cao Pi out of Hangu Pass and even defeated Cao Zhen and killed Xiahou Shang, Liu Bei, who usually kept his emotions hidden, couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"My son is brave and outstanding in the world."

Liu Bei is growing to like Liu Feng more and more.

They were skilled in battle and possessed great filial piety and righteousness.

With a son like this, what more could a husband ask for?
"After this great defeat, Cao Pi will certainly not dare to leave Hangu Pass again. Hangu Pass is the most dangerous pass in the world, and a direct attack will be futile. We must find a way to bypass it. Although Deng Ai is threatening Luoyang's northern flank by going around the Yellow River, he can only threaten Luoyang and cannot break through it." Liu Feng slowly explained the difficulty of attacking Hangu Pass now.

Liu Bei wholeheartedly agreed: "My son, what brilliant plan do you have?"

Liu Feng came to the map and pointed to Bingzhou: "Now that Kebineng and Budugen are both dead, the Xianbei in Bingzhou are like scattered sand. Your son wants to take this opportunity to unite with Yuzhujian to integrate the Xianbei tribes."

"The Prefect of Yanmen, Qian Zhao, is a sworn brother of my father. My father could write him a letter, explaining the situation with reason and emotion, and perhaps persuade him to surrender."

Upon hearing Liu Feng mention surrendering, Liu Bei's eyes revealed a nostalgic look, and then he sighed, "Zijing's family is all in Luoyang. If we were to persuade him to surrender, it would surely cause his family to suffer. I would not do anything to harm the son of an old friend for the sake of righteousness."

Seeing that Liu Bei was unwilling to risk the trouble caused by Qian Zhao, Liu Feng said, "It is fine not to persuade Qian Zhao to surrender, as long as Qian Zhao does not lead troops to attack, we will naturally be on good terms."

Liu Bei pondered for a long time before finally sending Qian Zhao a letter and instructing Liu Feng to take it with him.

It wasn't that Liu Bei agreed to Liu Feng's offer to persuade Qian Zhao to surrender, but rather that Liu Bei was worried that Liu Feng was too bloodthirsty and would kill Qian Zhao as soon as he saw him leading troops to attack.

Although Liu Bei and Qian Zhao were sworn brothers, personal feelings should not be discussed on the battlefield. Being merciful to the enemy is being cruel to oneself.

After careful discussion.

Liu Feng selected 3,000 infantry and cavalry, along with eight generals: Li Ping, Luo Yan, Yu Hua, Lu Wen, Niu Xian, Lu Yi, Guan Chong, and Lin Sheng, and turned north.

Liu Bei then took over the command of generals and officers such as Wang Ping, Wei Yan, Li Fu, and Deng Xian, along with their troops, and established a fortified camp below Hangu Pass to intimidate the enemy. At the same time, he was responsible for pacifying the people and villagers in the counties and towns west of Hangu Pass.

Liu Feng only dealt with the punishment, not the treatment.

It's alright in the short term, but it's prone to unrest in the long run, and Liu Bei needs to spend time stabilizing things.

a few days later.

Deng Ai, Shi Bao, and Yu Zhujian, who were stationed on the northern flank of Luoyang, all received military orders to advance into Bingzhou.

Without hesitation, the three generals abandoned their military mission of deterring the northern flank of Luoyang and instead joined forces with Liu Feng.

Liu Feng made no attempt to conceal his whereabouts and revealed his banner directly.

All money and provisions were directly demanded from the powerful families and clans of Bingzhou.

Those who submit will be taxed; those who refuse will have their tax and land confiscated.
But now that Liu Feng has military might, and he is fighting against the puppet Wei and taking over their territory, he has no worries about unrest.

Not convinced?

Hold it in!

When one's strength is insufficient, it is necessary to win over all forces that can be won over.

When you have the strength, cutting through the Gordian knot is the most effective way.

Those powerful clans that refused to submit were labeled as traitors who usurped the Han throne, while tenant farmers and servants within these clans who sought advancement were transformed into free citizens.

One is authority, the other is favor.

With the interests of these free citizens tied together, the resistance of the powerful clans would be nothing more than a firefly's glimmer.

Under the might of military power, not to mention the wildly growing aristocratic families of Bingzhou, even the three highest-ranking families in the Central Plains would perish.

The most typical example is the Chen family of Xiapi. After Chen Deng, not a single one of them could be found with a proper name.

As the poem describes, "The swallows that once graced the halls of the Wang and Xie families now fly into the homes of ordinary people," in times of chaos, only those who wield the sword can establish the rules.

If Liu Bei had led his troops out of Bingzhou, he might have been bound by benevolence and righteousness and had formed good relations with the powerful families of Bingzhou.

Liu Feng was different.

If it weren't for the powerful clans and families in the Central Plains having such strong foundations, Liu Feng would have even considered doing this in Bingzhou, not only to seize Bingzhou as soon as possible, but also to test the strength of the resistance from these powerful clans.

Just as Liu Feng used Cao Xiu to implement a emasculated version of the imperial examination system in the pseudo-Wei state, it was all a test.

These changes, which involve the redistribution of interests, cannot be tested after unification.

For example, after unifying the country, Emperor Guangwu wanted to relocate the land, but the resistance from powerful clans caused widespread resentment among the people. Although he eventually succeeded in relocating the land by sending troops to suppress the resentment, it also caused Emperor Guangwu a lot of trouble.

Before Emperor Guangwu, there was another emperor named Wang Mang, who was so tricked that the whole country rebelled not long after he became emperor.

Liu Feng wanted to redistribute the benefits, and the best time to do so was before unification, under the guise of conquest, to test the waters of change.

Especially when Liu Bei was still alive.

If it succeeds, everyone will be happy.

If they fail, Liu Bei will play the game of Tai Chi.

If he fails, Liu Feng will request to be punished.

Liu Bei issued another edict stating: "The Prince of Yan, eager to eliminate the false Wei, adopted aggressive strategies during the campaign against Bingzhou, severely hurting the feelings of the people of Bingzhou. I deeply regret this and have decided to punish the Prince of Yan, demoting him to General Who Conquers the North. However, considering that the Northern Expedition against the false Wei requires the Prince of Yan's efforts, I hereby temporarily appoint him as Grand General. I hope the Prince of Yan will learn from this lesson, atone for his crimes through meritorious service, and refrain from becoming arrogant and hurting the feelings of the people again."

Despite the official jargon, Liu Feng continued doing what he was supposed to do.

Even if Liu Bei had died of old age, Liu Shan would still have been there to play the game.

Even if Liu Shan couldn't control him, Liu Feng was not to be underestimated.

Liu Feng made his name through military achievements!
If Liu Feng hadn't been unafraid of the throne, Liu Shan wouldn't have been able to hold onto it.

Therefore.

Compared to figures like Shang Yang, who were purged after helping Qin's reforms, Liu Feng had far more ways to protect himself: "If you don't listen to my reasoning, I also know some martial arts. It's much easier for me to get in through fighting than through examinations."

A loving father and filial son, friendly brothers and respectful siblings, coupled with unparalleled military achievements, all gave Liu Feng the confidence to carry out pioneering reforms.

Not convinced?

Hold it in!

During Liu Feng's campaign against Bingzhou, the emperor and his ministers in Luoyang discussed the matter of moving the capital for more than ten days.

The supporters and the opposition are locked in a fierce battle.

Those who support moving the capital argue that Luoyang is adjacent to Hangu Pass, and the morale of the Han army is high. If Hangu Pass falls, Luoyang will be in grave danger. A wise man does not stand under a dangerous wall, so the capital should be moved to Ye City to avoid the enemy's advance.

Those who oppose moving the capital argue that it would exacerbate the momentum of the Han dynasty's revival, alienate the people, and leave the area south of the Yellow River without any natural barriers.

They argued incessantly with each other.

Cao Pi's idea of ​​burning down Luoyang was met with fierce opposition: Dong Zhuo burned down Luoyang in the past because he had rebellious intentions, and burning down Luoyang would damage the prestige of the Han Dynasty; now Luoyang was rebuilt by Cao Wei, and if he destroyed Luoyang, it would damage the prestige of Cao Wei, which would be extremely unwise.

The debate among his ministers gave Cao Pi a major headache.

Cao Pi even considered finding a reason to leave Luoyang and then staying at the temporary palace in Yecheng.

"Zidan, let's first send a large army into Yanzhou."

After the meeting, Cao Pi gave Cao Zhen a new order.

Since the ministers are still arguing, let's take a drastic measure and transfer the army from Luoyang to Yanzhou for defense.

With no large army stationed in Luoyang, even those civil and military officials who opposed the move had to consider whether to stay in Luoyang and live in fear, or to follow Cao Pi to move the capital to Yecheng.

"If a large army is mobilized, Hangu Pass and Yique Pass may not be able to be defended," Cao Zhen was truly worried.

Cao Zhen supported the relocation of the capital.

However, moving the capital would not mean that troops would no longer be stationed in Luoyang; rather, it would transform Luoyang from a political center into a military stronghold.

now.

Cao Pi, however, wanted to transfer the troops stationed in Luoyang to Yanzhou, which was tantamount to completely abandoning Luoyang.

"If we can't defend it, then we can't defend it. I've had enough of the opposition. I am the emperor!" Cao Pi said coldly, clearly dissatisfied with the civil and military officials who held opposing views in the court.

According to Cao Pi's idea, an agreement should be reached within three days at most.

The argument has been going on for over ten days.

This has severely delayed Cao Pi's plan to move the capital.

Soldiers are valuable and quick.

The relocation of the capital was also swift. But it was too late.

This makes it easy for rumors to spread.

It was Cao Pi who suffered the loss of prestige.

Seeing Cao Pi's resolute attitude, Cao Zhen hesitated and did not voice his opposition.

"Zidan, do not be discouraged. Although I have been defeated, the foundation of Great Wei is still intact. When we regroup in the future, we will surely be able to retake Luoyang. After we arrive in Ye City, I will appoint you as the Grand General of the Upper Army, overseeing all military affairs of Great Wei, both inside and outside the capital." Cao Pi encouraged Cao Zhen while promising him an official position.

Cao Hong was reduced to a commoner, Cao Ren was too old to be of great use, Cao Xiu had been captured alive by Liu Feng and lacked prestige, and Xiahou Shang was killed by Liu Feng. The remaining civil and military officials of the Cao and Xiahou clans, although talented, were not of great use.

At this time, Cao Pi can only rely on and deeply trust Cao Zhen.

As for Chen Qun, Sima Yi, and others, they were ultimately outsiders.

The reason this controversy over relocating the capital lasted for more than ten days was mainly due to Chen Qun and Sima Yi, both of whom were firmly opposed to the move.

He even "encouraged" Cao Rui to participate in the opposition, and brought up the matter of appointing Cao Rui as crown prince again, which greatly angered Cao Pi.

In the past, Cao Pi wouldn't have thought much of it.

Now, Cao Pi felt that Chen Qun and Sima Yi wanted Cao Rui to replace him.

Therefore, Cao Pi kept suppressing the matter of appointing Cao Rui as crown prince, because he did not want to be swayed by the civil and military officials of powerful families such as Chen Qun and Sima Yi.

Even though Sima Yi and Cao Pi had a good personal relationship, Cao Pi was wary of everyone when it came to such important matters.

Cao Zhen's move to transfer troops from Luoyang to Yanzhou was not kept secret from the civil and military officials in the court, or rather, Cao Pi never intended to hide it at all.

really.

As Cao Pi had predicted, when Cao Zhen withdrew the army from Luoyang, the opposition in the court diminished.

It is normal for civil and military officials to oppose when their interests are infringed upon.

But when life is violated, the interests previously argued for become insignificant.

"His Majesty is determined to move the capital."

Chen Qun and Sima Yi exchanged a glance, both seeing the helplessness in each other's eyes.

Although both came from prominent families, Chen Qun and Sima Yi were among the best of the best, ambitious and progressive.

however.

Most scions of powerful families were more focused on expanding their family fortunes, and did not consider national affairs or the rivalry between Han and Wei. Their desire for a peaceful existence was amplified by Cao Pi's relocation of the capital.

The gentry of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, who migrated south, were content to remain in the Jiangnan region and were unwilling to launch a northern expedition.

same.

The Cao Wei gentry who fled north would prefer to remain in Hebei and be unwilling to launch a southern campaign.

Situations may change, but people's nature will not.

Even if Chen Qun and Sima Yi could understand it, what could they do?

Cao Pi is now terrified of Liu Feng and dares not challenge him in Luoyang.

I tried to persuade them for more than ten days.

Chen Qun and Sima Yi were also tired and weary, and didn't want to persuade them anymore.

Cao Pi has already resorted to undermining Cao Pi's efforts; any further persuasion will only displease him.

With Chen Qun and Sima Yi, who had strongly opposed moving the capital, remaining silent, voices against the move in the court became virtually insignificant.

Seeing that his goal had been achieved, Cao Pi immediately issued an edict to move the capital to Ye City.

He then ordered all the scholars and common people in the Luoyang area to be relocated to Yanzhou.

Relocating the capital is one thing, but the city can be abandoned; the population cannot be abandoned.

Regardless of whether the people and commoners in the Luoyang area agreed, Cao Pi's edict to move the capital could not be disobeyed.

Those who refused to move the capital would be considered to be secretly colluding with Liu Bei and would be punished, with fines and confiscation of money for minor offenses and beheading for serious offenses.

All of a sudden.

The people of Luoyang were filled with resentment and suffered greatly.

If Liu Feng's troops were to appear in Luoyang at this time, it would surely cause a large portion of the people and officials in Luoyang to defect.

but.

Liu Feng currently has no energy to deal with the changes in Luoyang. In Bingzhou, Liu Feng has also gained a preliminary understanding of whether this reform can be implemented in the current era.

Even in Bingzhou, where powerful clans had grown up in a wild and unruly manner, there were many obstacles to change.

The most important point is that most of the tenants and servants have already been domesticated into the temperament desired by powerful families, which cannot be solved by Liu Feng's reforms alone.

Although the results did not meet expectations, Liu Feng did not give up on the test.

During a period of chaos, the idea of ​​popularizing vernacular Chinese was met with fierce opposition, so someone made a drastic proposal to abolish Chinese characters.

Therefore, after weighing the interests, popularizing vernacular Chinese became the strategy that best suited the interests of all parties.

Liu Feng actually had two sets of land policies.

The reason for using the most ruthless and direct methods first was actually to prepare for balancing the interests of various powerful families and clans in the Central Plains in the future.

When Liu Feng's policies were too radical and not accepted, the relatively peaceful Guangwu land survey decree was more easily accepted.

what?
You don't even agree with Emperor Guangwu's decree on land surveying?
Then there's nothing to discuss!

To incite a rebellion?

The soldiers needed military merit, and suppressing the rebellion was also a form of military merit.

By February of 227.

Liu Feng led his infantry and cavalry to attack Jinyang City in Taiyuan Commandery.

Liang Xi, the governor of Bingzhou, refused to surrender. He defended the city while ordering Qian Zhao, the prefect of Yanmen, to come south to assist him.

Using the Xianbei as bait, Liu Feng besieged Qian Zhao's 5,000-strong army at Xuanweng Mountain, five miles southwest of Jinyang.

If Qian Zhao and Liu Bei hadn't been sworn brothers, Liu Feng wouldn't have besieged Qian Zhao; instead, he would have directly defeated Qian Zhao in the open field using the advantage of his cavalry.

Although Qian Zhao was capable of commanding troops, it was still far from enough in front of Liu Feng.

On Mount Xuanweng.

Fan Cheng handed Liu Bei's letter to Qian Zhao.

"His Highness Prince Yan spared General Qian's life by surrounding him out of consideration for His Majesty. However, there is no kinship on the battlefield, and His Highness Prince Yan cannot continue to only surround and not kill him."

His Highness the Prince of Yan said that if General Qian wishes to be loyal to the puppet Wei, he may commit suicide and hang himself on Wengshan Mountain; if General Qian wishes to submit to the Han Dynasty, he should come down the mountain and surrender.

Even Cao Pi was so frightened that he was considering abandoning Luoyang; how could General Qian possibly stop him?

Fan Cheng's words pierced Qian Zhao's heart like a sharp knife.

The news that Cao Pi was so frightened that he was about to abandon Luoyang made Qian Zhao sigh even more.

"I'm not talking to you."

Qian Zhao put down the letter.

“If the King of Yan dares to come to Xuanweng Mountain alone, I will surrender.”

Fan Cheng's expression changed: "General Qian, this request is a bit too much."

Qian Zhao chuckled coldly: "Could it be that Your Highness, the Prince of Yan, dares not?"

Fan Cheng clenched his fist: "Provocation won't work!"

Qian Zhao beckoned, and two strongmen stepped forward: "In war, envoys are not to be killed. I will not make things difficult for you; you only need to deliver my message."

Fan Cheng hesitated, then angrily came down the mountain to see Liu Feng: "Qian Zhao is truly despicable, actually trying to make Your Highness go up the mountain alone."

Those around him advised Liu Feng against taking such a risk.

Liu Feng laughed loudly: "Qian Zhao is my father's sworn brother, and I have only surrounded him without killing him. How could Qian Zhao harm me? Don't worry, Qian Zhao is a man of his word."

Immediately.

Ignoring the advice and dissuasion of those around him, Liu Feng ascended Mount Xuanweng alone.

On the hilltop.

The officers and soldiers following Qian Zhao all looked at Liu Feng in shock.

"Really, he went up the mountain alone?"

"This is Liu Feng, the adopted son of the Han emperor and the Prince of Yan? He truly possesses extraordinary courage and resourcefulness!"

"If the Han emperor could be so sworn brothers with the general, how could his adopted son be anything less than excellent?"

"The Prince of Yan has gone up the mountain alone. Should we really return to Han?"

"."

The officers whispered amongst themselves, then all looked at Qian Zhao with questioning eyes.

"Xuande's son is indeed extraordinary." Qian Zhao sighed.

Liu Feng spurred his horse forward, his gaze falling on Qian Zhao. He cupped his hands in greeting and said, "I have often heard my father mention that you, Zijing Gong, are renowned for your prestige and are a hero of our time. Seeing you today, I know that what my father said is true."

Qian Zhao returned the greeting and said, "Xuande, you flatter me too much. I am completely convinced of my defeat at the hands of the Prince of Yan. All five thousand men of Xuanweng Mountain may follow you from now on."

Liu Feng looked at Qian Zhao and asked, "You, Zijing, refuse to return to Han?"

Qian Zhao neither shook his head nor nodded: "I am old now, and whether I return or not makes little difference to me. Moreover, my family is all in Luoyang. If I return to Han, my family will suffer."

I had hoped to discourage the Prince of Yan, but he actually came up the mountain alone. He is a man of his word, and I am willing to commit suicide at Xuanweng Mountain. I beg the Prince of Yan to treat these five thousand men well.”

The officers and soldiers were greatly alarmed.

"General, you mustn't!"

"If the general dies, how can we live alone!"

"General, we are willing to fight to the death!"

"."

Liu Feng remained silent until Qian Zhao had calmed down the officers and soldiers before slowly speaking: "Zijing Gong, why are you in such a hurry to die?"
You are my father's sworn brother, and in private I must address you as Uncle Zijing. If you were to commit suicide here, I would have no face to face my father.

Today, I climbed this mountain simply to tell Zijing Gong that although the world is vast, no one can stop me from going wherever I want!

After today, I will withdraw my troops. Zijing Gong will not only be able to protect his family and men, but will also enjoy the credit for repelling me.

I have only one request: Regardless of how the war in the Central Plains unfolds in the future, I urge you, Zijing, not to get involved. The battlefield is ruthless, and I cannot possibly surround and kill everyone every time.

Liu Feng's words deeply shocked Qian Zhao and the officers around him.

That kind of unparalleled and invincible boldness made Liu Feng's image even more lofty.
Kill and summon?

Liu Feng would not kill Qian Zhao unless absolutely necessary.

Although Liu Feng found a new representative for the Xianbei, the Xianbei were a large ethnic group, and Liu Feng's representative might not be able to control them.

Leaving Qian Zhao at Yanmen Pass is also advantageous for Liu Feng. (End of Chapter)